MACROINVERTEBRATEMACROINVERTEBRATEIDENTIFICATIONIDENTIFICATION

Developed by Developed by Mike Clapp, CAM Junior High School Science TeacherMike Clapp, CAM Junior High School Science Teacher

andandJudy Bufford, Science Education ConsultantJudy Bufford, Science Education Consultant

Water Resources Education CenterWater Resources Education Center

ClassificationClassification

Kingdom - AnimaliaKingdom - Animalia Phylum - ArthropodaPhylum - Arthropoda Class - InsectaClass - Insecta Order - Ephemeroptera Order - Ephemeroptera Family - Baetidae Family - Baetidae Genus - Genus - BaetisBaetis Species – Species – Baetis tricaudataBaetis tricaudata

InsectsInsectsIncomplete metamorphosisIncomplete metamorphosis Complete metamorphosisComplete metamorphosis

Body Parts of an InsectBody Parts of an Insect

Head - Head - mouth parts, eyes, and mouth parts, eyes, and antennae. antennae.

Thorax - Thorax - muscles and muscles and attachments for the legs and attachments for the legs and wings. wings.

Abdomen - Abdomen - digestive and digestive and respiratory functions.respiratory functions.

Abdomen

Thorax

Head

Mayflies (Order Ephemeroptera)Mayflies (Order Ephemeroptera) 2 - 3 tails = mayfly 2 - 3 tails = mayfly Sometimes the center Sometimes the center

tail is very shorttail is very short Gills along abdomenGills along abdomen Generally collector Generally collector

gatherers and shreddersgatherers and shredders Sensitive to pollution Sensitive to pollution

head

thorax

abdomen

2 plates

gills

tails orcerci

adultadult

Stoneflies (Order Plecoptera)Stoneflies (Order Plecoptera)

Always 2 tailsAlways 2 tails Gills on thoraxGills on thorax Shredders and predatorsShredders and predators Sensitive to pollutionSensitive to pollution

2 tails

abdomen

thorax

head 3 plates

Gills on thorax

Caddisflies (Order Trichoptera)Caddisflies (Order Trichoptera) Case builders, net Case builders, net

spinners, free living spinners, free living (green rock worms)(green rock worms)

Sensitive to pollutionSensitive to pollution net spinners have fluffy net spinners have fluffy

gills on abdomen, free-gills on abdomen, free-living have filamentsliving have filaments

predatorsFilterers/predators

shredders

adultadult

Midges (Order Diptera)Midges (Order Diptera)

Worm likeWorm like Twitchy, jerky Twitchy, jerky

swimmersswimmers Pollution tolerantPollution tolerant

head

Craneflies (Order Diptera)Craneflies (Order Diptera)

Cannot see headCannot see head Large, long abdomenLarge, long abdomen Last segment fleshy Last segment fleshy

lobeslobes Somewhat TolerantSomewhat Tolerant Other Diptera are more Other Diptera are more

toleranttolerant

end

Blackflies (Order Diptera)Blackflies (Order Diptera)

Tolerant of PollutionTolerant of Pollution Attach at end with a Attach at end with a

ring of hooksring of hooks Two fans on top of the Two fans on top of the

head head

Filter Feeders

Riffle Beetles & Water Pennies Riffle Beetles & Water Pennies (Order Coleoptera)(Order Coleoptera)

This Order is Very This Order is Very DiverseDiverse

Sensitive to PollutionSensitive to Pollution

Diving beetle

Riffle Beetle

Other beetles- Somewhat tolerant

Whitish color

Dobsonflies (Order Megaloptera)Dobsonflies (Order Megaloptera) Hair like filaments Hair like filaments

along abdomenalong abdomen Long somewhat Long somewhat

flattened abdomenflattened abdomen 2 prolegs at the end with 2 prolegs at the end with

two claws on each two claws on each prolegproleg

Sensitive to PollutionSensitive to Pollution

Note: Alderfly same Order Note: Alderfly same Order but long pointy tail and but long pointy tail and more tolerant of pollutionmore tolerant of pollution

Dragonflies, Damselflies (Order Dragonflies, Damselflies (Order Odonata)Odonata)

Dragonflies have Dragonflies have internal gillsinternal gills

Dragonflies have no Dragonflies have no tails and a large tails and a large abdomenabdomen

Damselflies have paddle Damselflies have paddle like gills (3)like gills (3)

Predators-engulfersPredators-engulfers Somewhat tolerantSomewhat tolerant

Dragonflies

Damselflies

Water Boatmen & Backswimmer Water Boatmen & Backswimmer (Order Hemiptera)(Order Hemiptera)

Carry a bubble of airCarry a bubble of air Long back legs used for Long back legs used for

swimmingswimming Babies look like adultsBabies look like adults Pollution TolerantPollution Tolerant Piercing mouthpartPiercing mouthpart

Water Boatmen

Backswimmer

Crayfish (Order Decapoda)Crayfish (Order Decapoda)

CrustaceansCrustaceans 5 pairs of walking legs5 pairs of walking legs Somewhat Tolerant of Somewhat Tolerant of

PollutionPollution

Aquatic Sowbug (Order Isopoda)Aquatic Sowbug (Order Isopoda)

CrustaceansCrustaceans 7 pairs of long walking 7 pairs of long walking

legslegs Body is flattened from Body is flattened from

top to bottomtop to bottom Somewhat Tolerant of Somewhat Tolerant of

PollutionPollution

Scuds/ SideswimmersScuds/ Sideswimmers (Order Amphipoda) (Order Amphipoda)

CrustaceansCrustaceans 7 pairs of walking legs7 pairs of walking legs Body is strongly Body is strongly

flattened side to sideflattened side to side Somewhat tolerant of Somewhat tolerant of

pollutionpollution

Snails (Class Gastropoda)Snails (Class Gastropoda)

Hard spiral shellHard spiral shell Lunged snails are Lunged snails are

pollution tolerantpollution tolerant Left Handed / Right Left Handed / Right

handedhanded

Clams & Mussels (Class Clams & Mussels (Class Bivalvia) Bivalvia)

Clams are smaller and Clams are smaller and rounder than musselsrounder than mussels

2 shells hinged together2 shells hinged together Somewhat tolerant of Somewhat tolerant of

PollutionPollution Important for stream Important for stream

health because they health because they filter feed and purify the filter feed and purify the waterwater

Aquatic Earthworm Aquatic Earthworm (Class Oligochaeta)(Class Oligochaeta)

Segmented wormSegmented worm Tolerant of PollutionTolerant of Pollution

Leeches (Class Hirudinea)Leeches (Class Hirudinea)

Segmented wormSegmented worm Suckers on both ends, Suckers on both ends,

rear sucker is largerrear sucker is larger Tolerant of PollutionTolerant of Pollution

Other macrosOther macros

Water MitesWater Mites Somewhat TolerantSomewhat Tolerant Arachnids – 8 legsArachnids – 8 legs

FlatwormsFlatworms No segmentsNo segments EyespotsEyespots Somewhat TolerantSomewhat Tolerant

Macroinvertebrate Sampling Macroinvertebrate Sampling ProcedureProcedure

Macroinvertebrate sortingMacroinvertebrate sorting

Data AnalysisData Analysis

Pollution Tolerance Index (PTI)Pollution Tolerance Index (PTI) Presence / Absence Scoring Presence / Absence Scoring

Taxa RichnessTaxa Richness Number of different kindsNumber of different kinds

EPTEPT Mayflies, Stoneflies, Caddis fliesMayflies, Stoneflies, Caddis flies

Percent Diptera (True Flies)Percent Diptera (True Flies) How much of the sample are fly larvae?How much of the sample are fly larvae?

DominanceDominance Which kinds are the most abundant?Which kinds are the most abundant?

Questions?Questions?